Just a father and son trip today, but that was ok. Weather was pretty good for most of the day, it was actually colder in Denver this afternoon than it was in the Leavenworth valley

A built HEEP ZJ beat us to the trail this morning and drove up 248.1 to where 248.1P breaks off back down to 248.1B. There were some trees that had fallen on 248.1, but none that blocked the trail from a full-width vehicle getting up. We continued up 248.1, following some tracks through the drifts, for probably another 1/2 - 3/4 mile before getting denied by some slippery drifts right as the trees started to thin out a bit.

Drove back to 248.1P, went down to 248.1B with intentions to travel back downstream toward the creek crossings, and got nervous about another off-camber drift in the trees and decided to walk. Hiked down through some pretty decent sized drifts in the trees, which finally thinned out by about the upper creek crossing. The first fallen tree we came to was just on the downstream side of the upper crossing. There were probably 15-20 in total that had fallen and hadn't been totally cleared, and someone had been up 248.1B since we were up there in December and had cut a few more trees out of the way that had been blocking our way that Saturday night. ATV's can now make it up to the lower creek crossing, but there are uncut trees right above the lower crossing still.

Picked up two bags of broken shooting clays that someone had left near the upper creek crossing and carried them out. Thank you to whoever put those bags there and took the time to fish the clays out of the creek, I picked up a few more but my hands were getting mighty cold quick!

Oh, and the Sanden filled my tires from 12 to 36 psi in 1:30 at 1000 rpm

Pictures:
1: Someone tore off the Adopt-a-Road poster on our lower sign . It's been fine for years and now it's gone
2 & 3: My dad and I went down the Argentine Central Railroad grade where it comes in to meet 248.1. I'd never been down there before, and it was quite interesting. It turns into a hiking/biking trail that goes down to Silver Plume. There was a stone chimney left over just feet from the grade, does anybody know what this building may have been? Part of the railroad maybe? Bill? Nathaniel? Anyway, it was interesting to imagine a train coming around the corner from where I was sitting taking this picture, chugging up the mountainside.
4: Following the HEEP tracks up 248.1. This is above our larger upper sign, but before the 248.1P junction. After 248.1P the tracks were less defined but same idea all the way until we got stopped. We actually got a lot further than I expected.
5: Parking spot at 248.1P/248.1B intersection.

1: Another picture of the parking spot.
2: Hiking down 248.1B.
3: Snowdrifts on 248.1B. These are about 2-4 feet deep all through this area, and pretty consolidated with sugar snow under the crust.
4: First tree totally blocking the trail.
5: Leaners abound. Be careful out there this spring/summer.

1: Big pile of trees.
2: Big tree.
3: More.
4: Root pad.
5: Lower creek crossing. I can see why we are always fighting the flow that tries to go down the road. In the winter the stream freezes at the small dam and overflows its banks.

1-3: Trees below the lower crossing that were not cut when we were up there last December. Now they are cut to allow passage of ATVs.
4: Big leaner that in December was situated higher above the road. Now much lower.
5: New fallen tree that was not there last December. This is about as far as we were able to drive this past December.

Last 2:
-We found a shooting target off on a spur road. If it's there when we can get the trucks in there we should take it out.
-plan d mentioned that someone had used the upper creek crossing as a shooting area. Well I'm assuming he's the one who started these two bags to collect all the shooting clays and shotgun shells. Thank you for doing that My dad and I carried them out, I spent a little time fishing some more pieces out of the creek but figured the grand majority of the pieces had been collected and the bags were starting to show some signs of wear and tear from the sun and whatnot so I figured it was time to bring them out. Whoever was up there (plan d?) and did all the initial legwork deserves a lot of thanks. IH8DIRTBAGS who not only shoot ON the road, but leave their trash everywhere including IN THE CREEK

Thanks Matt! Looks like we'll have some work to do once the snow melts a bit more.

Actually not much, the Forest Service is putting together a bunch of hazard tree teams to go in and take care of the fallen, leaning, and other hazardous trees. They will also be the ones taking charge of the water redirecting project (whatever that will look like) to keep the stream flow where it should be. Otherwise the area looks great!